Out of the Pan and Into the Fire
by EphemeralSummers
Summary: It's the day of the Anniversary Festival and things seem to be calming down for the Seven Deadly Sins, but an unlikely discovery leads them to think that it might not be over after all. A story about how events may have continued for the Sins post-anime. KingxDiane, ElizabethxMeliodas, ElainexBan.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I do not own The Seven Deadly Sins. All of the information in this story is obtained from the anime, unless otherwise stated.**

 **Thanks for reading and let me know what you think!**

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 **Chapter 1: The Anniversary Festival**

 **30 Days Post Spring Equinox**

King hardly slept all night and when the warm light of dawn kissed his cheeks he awoke so quickly he nearly fell from his resting place. He'd taken to sleeping atop the highest tower where he was able to find solitude and tranquility despite the hustle and bustle of rebuilding the kingdom. Somehow, he was unable to shake the emotions from the past few days that had rattled him to his core. Thinking of Helbram brought a heavy weight to his heart and he had to wonder if it was truly over. He'd been fooled into thinking his nightmare was finished twice already and he was uncertain he could take it again. Then there was… Diane. She threw him through a loop yesterday when she'd asked if they could go to the festival together, and he'd been so flustered that he barely managed to accept her invitation.

 _ **Oh she must think I'm not interested at all,**_ he moaned and threw his face into Chastiefol. _**How could I have acted so stupid?**_

The warm light of dawn had turned hot and sticky and he knew it must be approaching midafternoon. Soon, Diane would be seeking him out to go to the festival. King wasn't sure if he was ready to face her in this way. They hadn't truly spent any time without the Captain around since their childhood, and Diane didn't remember that anyway. As much as he was jealous of the Captain, he was always grateful for his presence. If he ever got too nervous, the Captain was always there to take her attention.

King frowned. _**I know she's putting on a brave face for Elizabeth… but I know she must be truly hurt about their relationship.**_ He shook his head violently. He'd never get through the festival if all he could think about was the Captain.

"Hey, what'cha thinkin' about up there?" King nearly fainted at the sugary sweet sound of Diane's voice, and it sent his heart into such a flurry of emotion that he could barely hear her over the pounding inside his chest.

"Oh, uh," King stammered, trying to collect himself as he slowly lowered himself down to her, "nothing, I guess. Just waiting around." He smiled bashfully, hoping that Diane wouldn't think too much of it, but she just smiled back at him.

"Well c'mon then," she urged, tugging at his sleeves, "We'll miss all the good stuff if we don't head out now."

King felt light as a feather as Diane tugged him toward the festival and time seemed to stand still when he was with her. Unfortunately, it seemed to stand still for everyone else too because when they arrived the festival hadn't started yet and they had to sit on the bridge while the townspeople prepared for the festivities. Silence fell between him, and King was beginning to feel his boyish awkwardness return. If he let the silence drag on for too long, she'd certainly begin to sense it.

"So…" King paused, struggling for something to break the silence, "does it feel any different… being so small?" King immediately wanted to smack himself for calling attention to her size. He desperately wanted her to know that her size didn't matter to him at all… he'd always love her all the same.

Diane, who had been lost in thought, was suddenly pulled back to reality by King's sudden question. She stared up at King, who had been levitating just a few feet above her. He blushed at her stare, but she didn't think anything of it. Instead, she was uncertain of how to answer his sudden question. Everything seemed to feel different when she was smaller… her clothes fit differently, she could see people's expressions more clearly, and even the air felt different. That was probably the biggest difference… the air was so much different.

"… Diane?" King was beginning to shift uncomfortably from his spot in the air, waiting for a response from Diane. She had been staring into him so intently since he'd asked and he was beginning to wonder if it had been the wrong question to break the silence. But, to his relief, she broke the stare and giggled.

"Sorry, King," Diane shifted her gaze to the ground and sighed softly. "I guess I just got lost and thought." She smiled and shifted he head back toward the sky, eyes closed as she inhaled deeply. "I think…" she exhaled, "I think I like the air down here a lot better. Up there it's kind of thin and bland, but down here," she sucked in another breath, "the air is thick and sweet. It tastes like honeysuckle and fresh morning dew… it's as crisp as the fresh autumn leaves and sweet as newly picked daisies."

She looked back down at the water flowing slowly under the bridge, something somber in her gaze. "I like being this close to flowers too. I can hold them… my favorite are daisies. Somehow they remind me of something good that I just can't quite put my finger on."

If King wasn't clutching onto Chastiefol so tightly he would have fallen straight onto the ground, face first. It was a daisy that he had used all those years ago, to erase Diane's memory. Had she known? The thought made him blush so furiously that he had to turn away. Conversations like these made him wish that he had never left her all of those years ago. He would never forgive himself for breaking his promise and leaving her alone.

"That's really beautiful, Diane." He finally whispered, almost too softly for her to hear.

Music had begun to fill the air around them, pleasant and joyful, bringing memories of celebration and happiness. Diane's face lit up with excitement and she laughed so brightly that it filled King with warmth. She tugged his sleeve and pulled him towards the festival. There was something about him that she cherished so much, somehow, being so large had fostered a deep appreciation for dainty, fragile things such as King.

"Come on," she looked at him, following behind her weakly, "let's quit talking and enjoy the festival. I bet we'll never get a day like this to just enjoy ourselves ever again."

King nodded and followed along with her. Diane was absolutely entranced by the festival, and most of the things there she had never experienced, at least not up close. It wasn't long before King recognized that she did not have enough self-control and would soon overdo it. She filled herself with sweet breads, pies, and other festival treats so quickly that she had a horrendous stomach ache only an hour into the festival, not that the townspeople minded. Everyone was so grateful for the Seven Deadly Sins that not a single villager charged them for their treats, but this only encouraged Diane to eat more. It wasn't long before King decided to let her ride Chastiefol so she could enjoy the festival without having to walk.

However, this was only a temporary fix because despite her stomach ache Diane still insisted on trying every ale at the festival, and soon she had binged so much that she blacked out from the alcohol in her system. King sighed at the sleeping girl, a half-full glass of ale still in her hand, her cheeks reddened from the alcohol. She always did know how to go out with a bang.

He decided that it would be best to try and let her get some rest, the only trouble was finding a place. The Boar Hat wouldn't be suitable, since Ban had returned for the evening to celebrate with the Sins. It had also become much busier since the townsfolk and discovered that it was run by the one and only Meliodas, and his beau, the druidic Princess of Leones, Elizabeth. He carefully guided Diane and Chastiefol towards a grassy hill at the edge of a forest on the border of the kingdom, which would have to do until things settled down a bit. At least from this distance he would be able to appreciate the brilliant sun as it set into night and the stars when they emerged from their daytime slumber.

As the sounds of the festival faded into silence and King was left with only his thoughts he struggled to maintain his sense of peace. He was beginning to dislike his quiet time alone, as fear about Helbram was only growing in magnitude. How could he have been so foolish to have turned a blind eye to his friend's continual suffering? Forced to relive his pain resurrection after resurrection… he shook his head violently. Tears had begun to form in his eyes and he knew that putting himself through this negativity would only foster more hate for himself and humans. In the end, things weren't so bad either. The Seven Deadly Sins were nearly reunited again… and being with Diane made things seem bearable.

He sensed movement at his side and looked over to see Diane sleepily looking up at him. She placed her hand on his knee, "King, can I tell you a secret?" she drunkenly whispered, the redness in her cheeks returning. Stunned, King nodded slightly.

"I want…" her lids drooped and she yawned, "I want to call you Harlequin." King felt as if all of the air had been sucked out of his lungs and pushed back into the atmosphere. He could only stare at her as she drifted back to sleep. _**Does she remember?**_

"It makes me feel… like I am not alone," she said quietly, fading back into deep sleep, her hand still resting gently against his knee. King's face filled with heat as he blushed. He allowed himself to let his hand rest on top of hers, carefully holding it against his knee. Butterflies flooded his stomach and he still couldn't catch his breath. Once he was certain she was asleep, he leaned in close. She carried the musty smell of moss and earth and he cherished it. "You can call me whatever you like, Diane."

He gently brushed the hair out of her face and smiled at the gentleness of her sleeping expression. She was absolutely enchanting. He wondered how he'd ever been able to leave her so long ago. He carefully kissed her forehead and squeezed her hand. "Whatever you like, Diane. I'm just happy that somewhere, somehow, some part of you remembers me." He kissed her again and stood up gently, carefully to avoid rousing her from her slumber.

Something had been bothering him for a great while now; there had been a slight rustling of the leaves in the forest and it was beginning to actually worry him. At first he had thought that it had been Ban trying to prank him, but that seemed unreasonable now. Ban would have revealed himself immediately if he had seen him caring for Diane, ridiculing him relentlessly.

King searched the forest with his eyes, looking for the source of the rustling. He couldn't see anything for a long time, and then three sets of red dots slowly appeared, and not long after three hellhounds emerged from the brush along the forest. King shook with fear, struggling to understand. They'd slain both of the demons found in the kingdom, how were demons found this far out of the kingdom?

The hounds drew closer, foaming with rage at the mouth, biting at the air, and snarling vigorously. He turned to see Diane, still slumbering peacefully upon Chastiefol. The demons wouldn't be an issue if he had Chastiefol, but he wouldn't risk waking her. The hounds followed is gaze and began stepping towards Diane, mouths snapping and gnashing.

"You filthy hounds," King yelled at them, diverting their attention, "I'll never let you hurt Diane!" He shouted and charged for them, eager to get them as far as possible from the girl.

However, the hounds quickly gained the upper hand as King's physical strength escaped him. He threw punches but few of them made contact and the ones that did seemed to do nothing to the demons. His defense was completely useless as they tore away at his clothes and skin. Their teeth drove into his skull and he felt his white-hot blood run down his face and hair. Then, in a flash, it was all over. The hounds were thrown from his body as fast as lightning and Diane's face peered over him.

"You idiot!" She yelled, "Why didn't you use your Chastiefol?" Rage began to run like fire through her veins as she saw King, injured and helpless, but King smiled up at her.

Her rage seemed to vanish as she stared at King's weak smile. "I wanted to protect you," he coughed, straining himself. "I didn't want you to wake up scared. I wanted you to sleep," and this time King smiled so bashfully that Diane's face grew hot and she had to look away. When she could finally meet his gaze again, King had passed out.

Diane stood up and looked at the injured hounds. She readied her fists and prepared to finish them off, but she did it with ease. She was happy to know that despite her now small size, she retained most of her strength. When she had defeated the hounds she looked back at King.

 _ **He tried to protect me. He didn't want me to feel any fear… but I was the one who protected him. How is it that he makes me feel so small and so big at the same time?**_

She watched as the hounds' bodies fell away into the darkness, disappearing in the way that demon corpses do. She didn't know how she would reveal the news to the other Sins, but it was growing clear that their reprieve from duty was going to be shorter than they had originally anticipated. She sat close to King and attempted to staunch the bleeding with a spare piece of cloth.

"Oh King," she sighed, carefully lifting him unto Chastiefol. "What a stupid boy." She leaned in close and kissed him lightly on the cheek. She lifted him with as much care as she could and gingerly carried him back to the Boar Hat.

 _ **I hope the Captain and Elizabeth aren't too upset. It looks like things won't calm down for us quite yet.**_

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" _I'm not letting you check out, you will beat this starting now, and you will always be around. I'm there to monitor your breathing, I will watch you while you're sleeping. I will keep you safe and sound." – Guernica, Brand New_

\- EphemeralSummers :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello friends! Thanks for your reads, favorites, follows, and reviews. It means a lot and as always, inspires me to keep writing! Please enjoy! :)**

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 **Chapter 2: A Visitor From the Other Side**

 **31 Days Post Spring Equinox**

Night had finally settled on the Boar Hat and things were beginning to quiet as the Sins fell asleep, except for two. Meliodas sat towards the end of the bed, careful not to wake Elizabeth. Ban was leaving. Meliodas could hear the slight shuffle of footsteps in the hallway, the emptiness in the Boar Hat growing as he stole away into the night. It had been foolish for him to expect Ban to stay, but he thought that things might be different with the news Diane had returned with. There were still demons, and they had attacked King.

The frustration was growing within Meliodas. He'd lost Elizabeth once. Somewhere, deep down, he knew that Elizabeth was fine on her own and that she would have no trouble taking care of herself, but that would never be enough for him. She was his whole world in one person. When she was around he was lighter than air and as strong as iron; her firm belief in him made him strong and her sweet compassion softened him. He was beginning to rely on her to keep him strong, and that scared him a little bit. He could sense that his fellow companions were losing trust in him, they had begun to discover his secret.

He was a demon.

He carried the weight with him, and he tried not to let it define him. He could be kind, just, and compassionate despite carrying the blood of a demon. He had only ever used his powers to defend himself or his companions, and he had never used them to kill. But, somehow, his companions were beginning to fear him in some way. He first sensed it with Ban. He understood Ban. A demon had killed Elaine, and, for being the same race, that was a sin that Meliodas had to bear as well as the demon responsible. Soon, though, Elaine would not be the only sin that he shouldered the responsibility for because now that the dragon hilt was missing demons were beginning to creep through the fabric of the worlds – leaking into earth.

Gowther would always view him objectively, and Merlin understood Meliodas on a level that was more than just his race, but doubt was growing within the fairy king, Harlequin. He knew that King only feared for Diane, but Diane's love for Meliodas was dimming and replacing it was fear over his true identity. Demons had hurt all of them, but Meliodas wished that they understood his love for humans. Demon or not, he would give his life defending his friends, even if it meant destroying all of demonkind.

Elizabeth shifted at his back and he turned to look at her. She was beautiful. A druidic priestess, but also one of the beautiful princesses of Leones. Not only that, but she was _Elizabeth_. He struggled with his memories of Liz, and her unforgettable last words to him. Could it be her? She was so beautiful, soft features, hair like velvet, and silky skin. She held the same beauty and grace. She held the same love for him in her heart.

"Sir Meliodas, are you okay?" She whispered to him, her eyes still closed. "You haven't gone to sleep yet."

Meliodas smiled. Her voice was a melody that sounded smooth and sweet, like melted chocolate. "Of course, Elizabeth." He smiled cheerfully at her in the way that he always did to everyone, but somehow he felt that she saw through that. She had always seen through him.

"Then please, Sir Meliodas, lay down and try to rest. We have a great adventure ahead of us." Elizabeth smiled at him, her eyes still closed, and rolled over. Meliodas nodded and laid down next to her, taking a moment to inhale. She smelled like flowers and morning dew. She was everything that a druidic priestess would be; she was kind, beautiful, brave, strong, and enchanting. Moreover, though, she was his everything.

* * *

"King!" Diane's shouting was barely heard over the rumble of the town. "King! It's time to get up! It's nearly afternoon!"

"Oh it's no use, Captain," Diane sighed, throwing King and Chastiefol into her pack. "He's the sin of sloth; it's impossible to wake his lazy butt up. Plus, he got pretty roughed up yesterday."

"His ability to rest in the midst of this commotion is quite astounding," Gowther nodded, pushing his glasses up on his nose. "I did not expect the town to be so busy the day after a festival."

Meliodas nodded toward Gowther, "you're right. We should go check it out." Meliodas scooped Elizabeth up in his arms and charged down the hill away from the Boar Hat. "This could be fun!"

"Meliodas!" Diane yelled, charging down the hill after him, "wait up!"

"Well, Gowther, I suppose it would be best if we were to follow along as well." Merlin mused, following after the four.

"That would be most appropriate," Gowther approved, following Merlin.

"Sir Meliodas don't you think we should slow down? Don't the others need to catch up?" Elizabeth smiled up at Meliodas, who was charging toward the town at a lightning pace.

Meliodas planted his heels and skidded to a stop, setting her down. "You're probably right, Elizabeth." He smiled as he stared at the town, people running left and right. However, the traffic seemed mostly directed straight towards the center of town.

"Do you think something happened overnight?" Diane asked, huffing as she approached them. "There seems to be an awful lot of people centered around one specific place."

"Diane, could you let me out of here?"

"Oh!" Diane quickly took her bag off and opened it up. Inside King looked a little worse for wear as he rubbed the place on his head that had been bit by the demon hounds. "Sorry about that, I forgot you were in my pack. How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay," King shrugged, lifting himself into the air with Chastiefol, "how are you doing? You're okay? I don't remember passing out. You're big again." Memories and thoughts rushed into his head so fast he had to rest his face into Chastiefol.

"Yeah," Diane smiled, "Merlin finished making some clothes for me last night as a gift to celebrate the festival."

King looked up and smiled, "well, I'm glad Diane. What are we doing all the way out here?"

"The captain suspects suspicious activity in the town. It would be most wise to investigate." Gowther and Merlin had caught up to the rest of them now at the edge of town.

"Investigate? Do you think this is related to the hounds we encountered last night?" King looked toward the town. Everybody seemed to be collecting in one area, but he was having trouble seeing how demons could relate to this, but if the Captain thought that it was demonic… then he had to be correct.

"Dunno," Meliodas smiled at the rest of them in his typical boyish way. "But it looks like a party!"

"Oh, Meliodas," Diane groaned, "are you sure we should be concerned about a party at a time like this? We were just attacked by demons last night."

"It's always time for a party," Meliodas winked, "you never know how many attractive ladies will be there."

Diane visibly reddened. "You filthy womanizer!" She shouted, throwing a punch directly for Meliodas. He flew across the bottom of the hill and landed harshly against the ground, creating a crater large enough to fit a boulder.

Diane, still fuming, turned to Elizabeth. "Elizabeth, are you seriously okay with this?"

Elizabeth just closed her eyes and smiled. "You know I was just thinking that we left Hawk behind. I should run and go get him, you guys better investigate." She quickly turned and ran back towards the Boar Hat, and Merlin turned to follow.

"I better go make sure she makes it back safe," Merlin turned back to glance at Diane, "you just make sure the Captain is taken care of." She teased and set after Elizabeth.

"Oh, come on, Diane," Meliodas groaned as he stepped out of the crater, "you know I was just kidding. I have nothing to do with other women."

Diane pouted and looked away. "You still deserved it, Captain. You can't just go upsetting Elizabeth like that."

Meliodas laughed and dusted himself off. "I feel like you pummeling me into dust was more upsetting than a little joke."

Diane growled and readied her fists when a villager approached them. "Hello there, Sins!" He called out to them, waving. "We've got a pretty bustling town today, huh?"

"Do you know something about that?" King called down, trying to shift the attention away from Diane and the Captain.

The villager chuckled and adjusted the pack on his back. "It would be hard not to, with all of the women gone."

"The women?" Meliodas piped in and King struggled to calm Diane.

"Oh yes, there's some new shop owner with products to make them more beautiful. They are all very excited." The villager sighed and continued to walk, "Beats me though. I never could understand the obsession with beauty." Diane nodded angrily in agreement with the villager, still glaring at Meliodas.

Meliodas smiled even bigger as the villager trotted away. "Well it looks like I know where we're headed!" He called back towards the rest of his remaining comrades as he turned heel and walked towards the center of town.

Diane bit her lip but followed anyway Meliodas anyway, headed directly for the large mass of women in the town center, but as they neared closer to the center Diane began to feel uneasy. Despite being upwards of thirty feet in height, not a single person paid her any attention. On top of that, their group consisted of four of the Seven Deadly Sins, who were still renowned as heroes in the kingdom. Just last night they had even been showered with free confectionaries and ale at the festival. Something was off today, but Diane just couldn't make any sense of it.

Meliodas held a hand up to stop the group. "Something isn't right here," he whispered back at them. "Has anybody looked at any of you?"

Diane looked around and it was beginning to dawn on her. She was so used to pointing and staring that the lack of such activity felt strange, but now that she paid more attention absolutely nobody was giving any of them any attention. It felt like they were being deliberately ignored.

"Excuse me, gorgeous," Meliodas attempted to get the attention of one of the closest ladies but she didn't seem to hear him at all. "Hey, sorry, I'm lo-" Meliodas was cut short. He had grasped for her sleeve but his hand continued through her arm, and then there was nothing there. Meliodas stared in awe as his hand passed through unobstructed air. He had grasped nothing. The lady who had once been there was now gone and there was nothing to show for it. One moment there, the next gone.

Meliodas tried to shake himself out of it, but when he glanced back at his team and his breath got caught in his throat. They were gone. Just like the lady he had just seen, they had disappeared in a fraction of a second. His eyes searched the place where they had just been standing and he couldn't believe his eyes. Out of the shadows, one sole figure had reappeared.

"… Liz?"

* * *

"Captain?" Diane stood confused. She had seen Meliodas reach for that lady's sleeve… and then she was gone. And then he was gone. Both, gone. She turned her head to the side to stare up at King, but he was missing too. Gowther, who had stood below, was absent too. All of her friends had been there and then suddenly they were gone. She turned her head back to look where Meliodas had just been standing and she fell to her knees.

Where Meliodas had once stood, now stood an old man in brown hide jacket with a matching hat. A deep scar stretched across his face. Something tugged at the back of her memory, and her mouth suddenly tasted of pheasant and mushrooms.

"Old man hunter…?"

* * *

"Diane?" King had been next to her, within arm's reach, and she was gone. He wanted to hit himself he was so angry. He let her slip away again. She could be in danger.

Then, suddenly, his thoughts were pulled away. He looked where the Captain had just been and felt the tears well up in his eyes. He tried to scream, but the sound wouldn't come out.

Helbram stood in front of him where the Captain had been, but he looked perfect. He looked as if he'd never been hit with Chastiefol's configuration four: Sunflower. He looked as if he'd never been killed by the humans. He was whole and new again, like the first breath of spring after a long winter. The craze was gone from his eyes, the blood wiped away from his body. He was his best friend again. King felt himself choke the word out and he felt the tears roll down his cheeks. It couldn't be true.

"Helbram…?"

* * *

Gowther didn't need to look to see that his friends had disappeared. He couldn't sense their magical presence anymore, but he knew that they were okay. Analytically, it made sense. The Captain and the others couldn't have been wiped out in the exact thirteenth of a second that it had taken them to disappear.

However, what didn't make sense was the feeble man standing in front of him. It had to be some sort of strange illusion, but Gowther couldn't determine the source. Despite his vast knowledge and experience with illusions, this one seemed different.

"Creator," Gowther took a step forward, "is it you?"

* * *

Diane, King, and Meliodas stood still in their spots, attempting to understand the person that stood in front of each of them. Gowther had chosen to stop and think things through, but unfortunately he was out of ideas as to how to break the illusion. He attempted to search his memory for gaps, but there were none. This illusion had fit seamlessly into his reality, and there wasn't a way to logically break it.

Suddenly, a voice sounded from above. It was deep and sultry, and Gowther immediately recognized it as Merlin's. Meliodas, King, and Diane shook their heads, trying to right themselves, and shifted their attention away from the person in front of them to the voice above them.

"Now now, Azazel," Merlin appeared above them and the strange illusions around them disappeared, "it's not nice to play with someone's mind."

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" _When I pretend is everything what I want it to be, I look exactly like what you had always wanted to see," Lying From You, Linkin Park_

 _-_ EphemeralSummers :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello darlings!~ I just wanted to thank you all for your continued support, and to those of you who favorite, follow, and especially review thank you so much. You are the wind beneath my wings. Please enjoy! :)**

* * *

 **Chapter 3: A New Ally**

 **31 Days Post Spring Equinox**

The name pushed memories back into Meliodas' mind so fast that he nearly fell over. Azazel… that was the name of a demon. Memories flashed in and out of his mind, glimpses of crimson and dark shadows passed through, but none of them paused long enough to become tangible.

He glanced up and looked where he had just seen Liz, but she was gone. He looked behind him for his friends, and immediately a sense of relief washed over him. They had returned, with the addition of Merlin, Elizabeth, and miniature Hawk. Meliodas smiled, he had never felt so at ease in his life.

Slowly, his relief faded. A thick fog had crept in and visibility was drastically dropping. Meliodas crossed the distance between himself and his comrades in three long strides, and by then he could barely make out his friends standing right next to him. Then, the sound of laughter permeated the air.

It was thick in sound, dripping with bloodlust. The cackle wavered in pitch, fluctuating effortlessly between a screech and a roar. Meliodas sensed the fear level rising, and he felt his fists clench involuntarily. This was his fault. Azazel had been allowed to escape into the human realm because of his carelessness with the dragon hilt. This was no time for games; he had a duty to protect his friends. He grasped the hilt of his sword and felt his power well up inside him; the red-hot flame of his power grew from his feet and filled his arms. He planted his feet and glared straight ahead; today he would solve everything. Today was the day he made up for his mistake.

"Elizabeth, everyone, stay back," he warned, "I'll take care of this." Meliodas was ready to charge forward when a different chuckle came from behind him, but this one was warm and inviting.

"Meliodas," Merlin's sultry voice came from behind him, "please tell me how you're going to fight an enemy you can't see."

"It's simple," Meliodas felt his fury fade and returned to his boyish smile, "I'll just have to listen for him."

The menacing voice returned. "Listen for me, Meliodas?" The laugh returned too, and Meliodas could feel the air cool and the fog grow thicker. "I am all around you."

"Gowther," Meliodas turned, "is this an illusion you can break?"

"I haven't quite finished thinking it through." Gowther responded, monotonous as always.

"Of course," Meliodas beamed, "then we will have to fight an invisible enemy."

"I'll take care of this." Merlin interjected, snapping her fingers. "Absolute cancel." Merlin's voice was calm and steady, but Meliodas could definitely detect a hint of superiority. She had had the ability to break the illusion from the beginning, but she had been enjoying watching them struggle.

Meliodas shifted his attention to the sudden movement from the left of them. A small figure, no bigger than a child, fell from the sky and landed with a heavy sound. The fog had cleared up a little bit, and Meliodas noticed that they were no longer in the middle of town and were instead in a large open field. In the middle of the field there was a mass of pink and purple cloth where the figure had fallen.

Not a single one of the Sins could believe their eyes as the bundle of cloth began to shift, and soon it stood upright.

Meliodas felt his anger dissipate and held in a chuckle. He sheathed his sword and squinted to get a better look at the demon before them, but the sight only became more ridiculous. Their once menacing enemy donned a fur lined maroon coat and his long magenta-colored tresses wisped around his rather feminine face. His eyes, a striking shade of violet, were accompanied by gold-painted lids, and his eyebrows, though extravagant, seemed as if they had been painted on by a careful artist.

"Oh that's no fair Merlin," the demon pouted, his deep red lips parting to reveal two rows of spiked teeth. Slowly, a twisted smile stretched across his face. "I was only just beginning to have my fun."

Meliodas drew his sword again, but this time was different. He was calm and controlled while he waited for the demon to make his first move. Time slowly began to pass, at first it was just seconds, but soon the time stretched into minutes. Meliodas was beginning to lose his calm demeanor; if he were to take on Azazel by himself he couldn't be the first to attack, and he absolutely could not risk putting his friends' lives in danger again.

"Can't be the first to attack, mmm?" Azazel purred, disappearing and reappearing next to Meliodas. "It's the magical ability of yours, isn't it? Full counter I think it is called." The demon cooed, twisting a piece of Meliodas' hair between his fingers.

"Well you seem pretty nonviolent now," Meliodas smiled, patting Azazel on the shoulder. "I wouldn't want to pick a fight if I didn't have to."

"Oh don't you worry, Meliodas," the demon disappeared and reappeared behind him, whispering in his ear. "I will tear you and all of your friends to shreds."

"This talking is getting boring," Diane growled from behind them, "If the Captain won't attack, I will!" Diane yelled, launching a fist directly towards Azazel.

"Diane, no!" Meliodas attempted to stop her, but it was too late. Meliodas quickly moved out of the way just as the ground underneath him exploded with the impact of her fist. Trees and boulders were uprooted and launched thirty feet away. It took a moment for the dust to settle, but when it did Diane was terrified. Azazel was nowhere to be seen.

"Too slow, dear," came the same purr in Diane's ear and she felt her body tense. She turned her head to look at Azazel, and the world lit up. She felt her body soar through the air and crash down on the ground somewhere far away. She attempted to scream, but her throat was on fire. Pain flooded all of her senses and a massive flash of light blinded her. She held her hands tight over her ears, attempting to drown out the sharp ringing that had filled her mind. Somehow, in less than a small fraction of a second, Azazel had set off an explosion right next to her.

She attempted to squint her eyes and see through the light. King was still floating, but now it seemed as if he were a hundred miles away. She tried to call out to him, but her voice was gone. She reached for him, but when she lifted her arm she found it mangled. Chunks of her flesh were missing and pieces of ivory bone were visible. The pain was overwhelming and the light was fading. She closed her eyes and attempted one last time to call for King, but her throat tightened around her words and she blacked out.

"What did you do to her?" King yelled as Diane stared at him, the light behind her eyes gone. She had missed her punch and then had turned to look at him. She looked at him terrified at first, and slowly she had faded. She closed her eyes and fell to the ground unconscious. Azazel hadn't even comes close to her, but he seemed to render her unconscious without the slightest effort. "Whatever you did," he turned to look towards the demon who had hurt her, "I won't forgive you!"

King raised Chastiefol high into the air and smiled at the demon. "Chastiefol fourth configuration: Increase." He glowered at Azazel, one thousand tiny daggers pointed and poised for the kill. "You're a demon, aren't you?" King smiled larger and the daggers began to rotate in the air. "You won't be easy for me to kill, but I'll do it for Diane!" King waved his arms down, throwing all of Chastiefol's power upon Azazel.

Slowly, King's smile faded and he too was looking terrified. He watched in silent horror as Azazel dodged each dagger with an unmatched level of ease. King continued to pour his power into Chastiefol, increasing the attack, but each dagger found its place in the ground rather than through Azazel. Petrified, he watched as Azazel raised a hand and caught the last dagger between two fingers, stopping it right before it would have impaled him.

"Such a nice weapon," Azazel cooed, turning the dagger over in his hands. "You know, it's dangerous for children to play with such sharp things." A sickening smile spread across the demon's crimson colored lips as he waved his hand like King had. Slowly, all thousand zombified daggers rose from the ground and pointed at King.

"I am not," King started, attempting to fight back, but it was useless. His energy was defeated. He was powerless to stop his own weapon from obliterating him. His body was heavy and he felt himself falling out of the sky. "A child." He finished as he felt the daggers pierce his frail frame hundreds of times. He felt blood rushing into his lungs and he lost the ability to breathe. He watched, his eyelids growing heavy, as Meliodas charged for the demon that was now standing over him. "Save yourself," King attempted, reaching for Meliodas, but instead he felt blood fill his mouth and no sound came out.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you to never turn your back on the enemy?" Meliodas smiled as he plunged his sword directly through Azazel's heart. Meliodas smiled, pushing his sword deeper, but his relief soon faded. As he withdrew his sword, the place where he had impaled Azazel slowly began to crack and fall away like shattered porcelain. Soon, the cracks spread throughout the entire body, and the demon fell away into dust.

Meliodas cringed as a ghastly chuckle came from behind him, directly above his ear. "Funny," Meliodas felt a sword at his back, "I was just going to tell you that." The demon laughed louder as he drove the entire sword through Meliodas. Meliodas clutched his chest and fell to his knees, his world turning crimson while the pain burned him like fire. He glanced down and discovered that the sword that had pierced his heart was the very sword Liz had given him to protect himself. He had been killed with his own weapon.

His world was beginning to fade when he looked up to see Gowther, who had drawn Herrit and was poised to fire. Meliodas felt his head grow heavy and his eyelids droop. The last thing he saw was Gowther, calm and composed, as he sent a single flying arrow, cloaked in light, straight towards Meliodas and Azazel.

Azazel stood over Meliodas and looked around at three of the deadly Sins, who were now unconscious. Their labored breaths were still audible, as they suffered through wounds and pain that were only real to themselves. He smiled at Gowther, who had attempted to defend himself. Slowly, he raised a hand to deflect the arrow, but, to his surprise, the arrow passed directly through his hand unimpeded and buried itself right through his chest.

"You're a skilled illusionist," Gowther called out to him, "but a nightmare can rattle the calmest of minds."

He panicked and raised his hand to his chest, but the arrow was gone. The field that they had been fighting in was gone as well, and suddenly he understood that he was shrouded in a memory. He was back at the goddess pond, cloaked in warmth and surrounded by light.

The memory was vivid despite its age. The goddess pond was where angels could sneak away and watch over the human world. Azazel arched his head over and peered through the water into the world below. He felt his breath catch in his throat when he saw her. He remembered this moment strongly, but the excitement of seeing her for this first time filled him. This had been a sacred memory. This was the memory of the first moment that he had laid eyes on Guinevere. The same wonder that had filled his soul then, filled him now. This woman would be the one he would fall for.

The image twisted and turned around him, slowly melting into a different memory. Now, he was in a corridor that he couldn't quite remember, but he knew where he was headed. Someone, somewhere behind him begged him not to go, but he paid them no attention. He would gladly give the rest of his existence away if it meant a real moment with her in the human world. He burst through a door into the field with the sacred pond and turned back once to look at his friend. A blonde angel with emerald eyes reached his hand out to him, pleading for him to stay, but Azazel shook his head. Without another look back he plunged into the sacred pond and fell from the heavens into the human realm.

Slowly, his vision blurred into a swirl of colors and then refocused again. Now, he was in the middle of a town. He owned a small caravan and travelled from town to town, searching desperately for Guinevere. To each town he brought items that humans had never heard of before. He showed them how to craft and wield weapons, and he taught women the art of cosmetics.

He was showcasing cosmetics when she appeared. He was immediately enchanted from the moment he laid eyes on her. She held his gaze with exceedingly kind eyes and beamed with a smile richer than gold at anyone she met. Her happiness shined from her face like sunlight, and when Azazel looked at her he knew he had finally found home.

Years began to pass through his memories in seconds, certain images burning into his mind. There was their first date, followed by their first kiss. Then, they were married. The birth of their two sons. Opening the shop together. Birthdays. Celebrations. Festivals. The shop was doing well and they were going to move to a bigger city; then darkness fell. Knights raided their city and home, mercilessly killing any who strayed into their path.

"Azazel the demon," one of the knights read aloud from a scroll when they had reached their home, "you have been judged guilty for the slaughter of man. You provided weapons and taught man how to kill, and for this crime you have been sentenced to death by the very flames you used to teach man how to forge."

He was shackled and dragged through the dirt. His children cried for his help as they were bound to a large wooden post that had been plunged into the ground. His dear Gwen tried to stay calm, but her sweet eyes burned with fear. He watched in horror as his wife and children were tied together and set aflame. He was tied to another post, forced to watch as his family perished. The knights scorched him for hours and poured kerosene all over him, but he did not die. It took them days before they realized that man-made flame would do nothing to a demon, and so they sent a mage who forever sealed him int the underworld to suffer for his crimes.

Gowther appeared in front of him, and Azazel fell to his knees from the pain of his memories. His head in his palms, he begged Gowther to kill him and release him from his nightmare.

"That which is made by man cannot kill a demon," Gowther responded calmly, placing a hand over Azazel's head, "But I do want to thank you for sharing these memories with me. They have been educational." Gowther lifted his hand from the demon's head, and released him from the nightmare.

Azazel opened his eyes to see that he was back in the field, but Diane, King, and Meliodas had awoken from their own nightmares and were standing over him. Merlin was now the closest to him, crouched over him as she rested a palm on his chest.

"Five prong seal," she shouted, pushing her fingers deep within his chest. Azazel howled in agony as she pierced him. However, as quickly as the pain had started it was over, and all that remained was an intricate pentagon with a crimson boar neatly tattooed in the middle.

"Azazel," Merlin stood up, "I have freed you from your imprisonment in the underworld, and now you are bound to me."

"Oh how lovely," Azazel purred, standing up and pushing back his vibrant hair. "Truly, any demon would be proud to have such a glamorous Master." He smiled as he ran his fingers through Merlin's hair, cooing over her dress and shoes. Now that he was free from the underworld, he owed himself to this group of people, and therefore they were his true allies.

Diane could hardly believe what she was hearing. How could this be the same demon who had been psychologically torturing them just minutes ago? Now he donned a strangely feline smile and his voice was no longer menacing, but had changed to be rather high pitched and excessively flamboyant.

"Why did you attack us?" King asked, clutching Chastiefol tightly, still weary of their newfound ally.

"Oh my sweet kittens," Azazel purred, tracing his fingers along King's coat, "because you are very valuable to someone."

"Who would that be?" Merlin inquired, growing interested.

"Well if I knew I wouldn't have let myself get captured so easily. I figure if I stick around you dollies I might get to find out."

"Well," Meliodas spoke up, now standing next to Elizabeth who was clutching Hawk tightly, "if you aren't the one after us, who exactly are you?"

"Oh how terribly rude of me," Azazel spoke, clearing his throat. He took a grand bow and looked deeply into Meliodas' eyes. "I am Azazel, the seventh demon prince of hell."

* * *

" _I tried to be someone else, but nothing seemed to change. I know now, this is who I really am inside. Finally found myself, fighting for a chance. I know now, this is who I really am." – The Kill, 30 Seconds to Mars_

 **Hey friends! Thanks for reading, just a heads up that I am headed across the country for Thanksgiving, so I won't be able to update for a week. I generally try to update every Tuesday and Friday/Saturday. This upcoming week I won't be doing my Tuesday update or my Friday/Saturday, but next week it will be back on. I hope you all have a great holiday.**

-EphemeralSummers :)


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